A CREWE man charged with 'horrific sexual assaults' on a young boy drove to a North Wales beauty spot to gas himself to death.

An inquest heard that Edward Evans, 60, of Davenham Crescent, had been due to appear in court that day charged with the rape of a 12-year-old but the case was put on hold when the charred remains of a body were found on Anglesey.

An investigation was launched in October after firefighters found his burnt-out car at Cable Bay, a coastal retreat popular with bathers.

No immediate clues were available from the remains to establish his identity. Edwards had been wearing false teeth, which had melted, and all his personal belongings were destroyed in the blaze.

The inquest this week at Llangefni heard how forensic experts used DNA samples to confirm his identity.

North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said it was a 'classic suicide situation' possibly caused by the 'stress of court proceedings'.

He added: 'The cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning but it cannot be determined if this was from the exhaust fumes or from the interior of the vehicle being set alight by Evans.'

North Wales Fire Service could not rule out the car being set ablaze by Evans. Investigators believed it was less likely for a stationary car to develop a fault causing a fire.

Test revealed no alcohol or drugs in his body but a high concentration of carbon monoxide.

Evans had been due to stand trial at Cambridge Crown Court. It was alleged he had sexually assaulted and raped a boy brought to his first floor flat by his co-defendant, Kenneth Tracy, 76, of Orwell, Cambridgeshire.

Evans had denied the offences which involved 'horrific sexual assaults' on the boy in his flat, the inquest heard.

Six weeks after Evans was found dead, Tracy admitted grooming the youngster for sex and subjecting him to months of abuse. He was jailed for a minimum of three years and six months.

Speaking to the Chronicle in October, Tracy's sister, Eunice Jones, 78, said her brother had often spoken of Evans, his friend for 20 years.

She said: 'Ken told me Evans was terrified of jail and would kill himself rather than be sent down.'

Evans, who lived alone, was described as a 'quiet man' by neighbours in Davenham Crescent.